Track of the Day: 'Level Up VIP' by Kidkanevil feat. Orifice Vulgatron & Sean Play

This new version of a track from Kidkanevil's 'Rap Biscuits EP1' comes straight out of the blocks at 100 miles per hour and keeps up the pace throughout. It's the kind of track that makes you wish you had some sort of souped-up, lowered car with an unnecessarily loud soundsystem so that you could cruise by with the windows open while playing this song as loud as fuck.

Grab it for free below.

Recommended music: 'The Delta' by Brolin

It's been a couple of years since I first wrote about Brolin, and since then his status has continued to grow, even of the facts we know about him haven't. The young man from Leeds with a passion for dogs originally donned a mask as he wasn't ready to face a clammering world wanting instant soundbite gratification. He might have kept up the cloak of mystery in person, but there are plenty of emotions laid bare on this fantastic début album.

Producer, musician, end even video director (his first stab at that was for Nightdriving below), he's retained complete control over the record and has spent the past few years polishing and honing it to great effect.



From 'NYC', the track that introduced him to the world, through latest single 'Nightdriving', the album is uplifting and heartening, as it wraps itself around you. Brolin himself has synaesthesia which he uses to creative effect as sound and vision become one, and he sees and feels atmospheres and places in his music. It's why songs like Reykjavik, Koln, Barcelona and NYC and named after places, as he matches the mood of the song with the city.

So what do we learn about Brolin from the lyrics? Here's a picture of him and his thoughts:

"I lie awake at night" - Nightdriving
"If the eyes are the windows to the soul you might see I lack control" - Kingston
"I won't leave the lights on if you ask me to stay, Follow me I'll guide you, I'll lead you astray" - Reykjavik
"I never thought I could feel so content in the shade" - Barcelona
"I will pull you under the waves, it'll soften the blow" - Koln

Thematically the album is a bit like a journey of discovery, different places and different feelings. If you're looking for a way of describing what this all sounds like, try imagining Jamie xx crossed with The Weeknd crossed with Caribou and you'll be somewhere on the way to arriving at the sound. But don't try and categorise it, it's pretty unique and it's actually bloody brilliant, so just buy it!

Remix of the Day: 'Ene Nyame (Henrik Schwarz Blend)' by Ebo Taylor & Pat Thomas

Somehow this passed me by until the other day, which unfortunately means I missed out on playing it every day in the summer. I shall remedy the situation by playing it every day in the winter instead, thereby giving myself a slice of sunshine through the dark months. This epic remix manages to skilfully combine Afrobeat and Highlife with house music to stunning effect - the moment the bass kicks in you won't want to listen to anything else for the rest of the day.

Track of the Day: 'Humanize' by Lizzo

A change of pace and style for Lizzo on this track, the first to be released from her new album 'Big Grrrl Small World', which is out on December 11th. Here she gets to show of her impressive vocals on a song that manages to sound both classic and contemporary at the same time. Give it a couple of listens and the chorus will be swimming through your brain for days.

If the rest of the album's as good as this then we're in for an early Christmas present, especially as you can get the whole thing for free by signing up here.

Track of the Day: 'Ain't Nothing Changed' by Loyle Carner

It's probably no surprise to you to find me bigging up the new track from Loyle Carner - I do it every time he puts something out, but that's only because everything he releases deserves to be heard. This track's a surprisingly jazzy affair thanks to Rebel Kleff's production, while the lyrics tread Carner's familiar paths of growing up and life in London (also featuring his usual batch of swearing lol).

The single is out digitally today on all the usual platforms so have a listen to it below and then go out and buy it. If you wanna catch the by wonder live he's playing at Village Underground in London on February 16th next year.

Recommended music: 'Grey Tickles, Black Pressure' by John Grant

OK, so this is a bit of a strange one. After a week of listening to this record I like it, and I love bits of it, but I couldn't say I loved the whole thing, at least not yet, not like I want to. Maybe that will come in time, but for now it kind of feels like there's half a brilliant album tucked away inside this whole one.

That's not to say that it doesn't piss all over most of the dross that's been released this year. John's lyrics are at their most barbed and cutting throughout - here's a selection of my favourites:

"You and Hitler oughta get together, you oughta learn to knit and wear matching sweaters"
"There are children who have cancer, so all bets are off, cause I can't compete with that"
"Global warming is ruining my fair complexion, augmenting all my imperfections"

Musically it's all over the place, which is sometimes good and sometimes less so. From the glam-rock stomp of 'You and Him', through dark electro like 'Black Blizzard' and 'Snug Slacks', into the 80s disco of 'Disappointing' and onto the lush sounds of 'Geraldine', there are plenty of ideas on display here. But part of me wishes he'd just crack on and make a full on electro-assault on our senses, maybe under an alias, for one album and them come back with a piano / acoustic epic for the next.

High points for me are the verse and clarinet on 'Down Here' and the Wichita Lineman-esque ending to 'Geraldine'. And having seen most of the album performed live at Rough Trade last week I'd say some of the songs have more power and hang together better live than they do on record.

Grant is still one of the most original voices making music today, and it's great that he's given such artistic freedom by Bella Union. I just feel that his ship might benefit from the occasional steer every once in a while.

Recommended music: 'Foam Island' by Darkstar

On their new album for Warp the electronic duo have created an electronic reflection on northern Britain (specifically Huddersfield) in 2015. It's a brilliant encapsulation of the thoughts and emotions of young people in the town, showing both the good and bad sides without passing judgement on either. The theme allows the band to create possibly their most cohesive album to date - as it takes you on a journey through various rhythms and styles, from the upbeat to more ambient tracks, it never loses its focus or sense of purpose.

The titular 'Foam Island' (a euphemism for this once green and pleasant land) is definitely one of the highlights, full of deft electronic touches, while 'Stoke The Fire' is a brilliant slice of electro-pop with an ultra-catchy melody that showcases the best of their song-writing. The most abrasive track here is closer 'Days Burn Blue', which I guess is what you'd expect from a song that was written while the votes were being counted for the bastard Conservative Party's victory in the last election.

I've listened to this record a number of times over the past week and can honestly say that it still gets better and better with each hearing. Concept albums (for that's effectively what this is) can be a hard thing to pull off, but they've done it with aplomb here.